Power-transmission device.



No. 872.512. PATE'NTBD DEC. 3, 1907.- v J. W. HAYS.

POWER TRANSMISSION DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.25,1907.

- S 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JOSEPH W. HAYS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

POWER-TRANSMISSION DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3, 1907.

Application filed March 25. 1907. Serial No. 364.422.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPn 'W. HAYs, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Power TransmissionDevices, of which the following is a clear, full, and exact description.

My invention relates more particularly to clutches for the transmissiongears of automobiles, although it may be used in any connection in-whichit is desired to transmit motion from a driving shaft to an aliningdriven shaft.

The object of my improvement is to provide a frictional contact betweenthe driving and driven members of the clutch, by means of a series ofsegmental clutch shoes, which are adapted to engage the circumference ofone of said members, one after the other, to make the connection betweensaid members gradual and not sudden, but so that the conther object ofmy invention is to make the clutch-shoes, and the sets .of mechanicaldevices used in connection therewith, each the replica of the other.This I accomplish by the means hereinafter fully described and asparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of my improved clutchshowing the parts of the same applied to the engaging ends of aliningdriving and driven shafts. Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof takenon dotted line-22, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the same with thecircular wall of the inclosing case removed. Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are,respectively, views showing details of the devices for adjusting andactuating the shoes.

Referring to the drawings A represents the end of a shaft having a drumB of suitable diameter secured thereto, and C is the end of an aliningshaft whose extremity c is reduced and adapted to enter a correspondingsocket made therefor in the end of the shaft A. Shaft C has mountedthereon a case D whose circumferential Walls are greater in diameterthan the outer circumference of the drum B, so as to leave a spacebetween the inner circumference of the one and the outer circumferenceof the other, and the open side by means of screws that are tapped intothe annular edges of the circumferential walls of the case. Thusconstructed the case incloses drum B, the width of which adapts it tofit snugly between plate (I and the opposite head of the case, and yetrevolve freely between the same.

In order to communicate the motion of case D to drum B, or vice versa, Iemploy a series of segmental clutch-shoes E that, preferably, correspondin length and have one end bent outwards and then back over itself toform a knuckle a, which embraces a crossbar 6, which is rectangular incross-section. This cross-bar 6 corresponds in length to the width ofthe shoe and is not movable on its axis and it has longitudinalextensions 6 at each end, that are also rectangular in crosssection, butless in transverse dimensions than the bar from which they project.These extensions, e, are adapted to enter guideblocks f, which latterare of rectangular dimensions and are seated in tangentially extendinggrooves in the inner surface of the head of the case, and in the plate(1, extending'from near the outer circumference of the drum to the innercircumference of the circular walls of the case. gaged by gage-screws Ftapped in the same tangential plane as the same through the outercircumference of the case, substantially as shown.

The shoes E are, preferably, made of comparatively well tempered bandsteel, and are bent or curved so that their engaging surfaces correspondto the segment of the circumference of the drum' adapted to be engagedthereby. The ends g of these shoes, opposite the knuckles a, are curledoutwards and form a seat for the adjacent alining trans- Guide-blocksfare enverse end-members h of an I-shaped presserfoot G. The oppositetransverse alining end members of the presser-foot bear against theadjacent side surfaces 7c of a transverse lug H projecting inwards fromthe inner circumference of the circular walls of the case, and thelongitudinal member of this presserfoot connecting end-members h andbridges the space between the end 9 of the shoe and said lug H. The endmembers h of said presser-foot are, preferably, cylindrical so as toarticulate with the adjacent end of the shoe, and the portion of the endmembers j of the shoe engaging the lug H is beveled, so that when thepresser-foot is depressed toward the drum, the contact of the member jthereof with the correspondingly inversely beveled side of said lug,will pull the shoe lengthwise slightly as well as move it toward thedrum, and cause said shoe to engage the circumference of the drumthroughout its length. The adjustability of the end of the shoe oppositethe presser-foot, enables one, when assembling the parts of the clutch,to bring all the shoes into the same relative position with the drum,and when this is done the engagement of one of said shoes after theother brings them successively into engagement with said drum, andenables the clutch to gradually increase the area of frictional contactbetween the driving and driven member so as to avoid the suddentransmission of the full power from the one member to the other, and theconsequent shock resulting therefrom, and permits a certain amount ofslippage between said members, particularly when the clutch is used forautomobiles, and thus saves the chassis considerable strain andconcussion, particularly when the automobile is driving over roughground. There may be as many of these clutch-shoes as desired, but Iprefer to use but four of the same and to locate them equal intervalsapart. These shoes are brought into engagement with. the drum one afterthe other by means of longitudinally reciprocal plungers I whose axesare parallel with shaft B. Each of these plungers consist of acylindrical bar having rounded or truncated tapered engaging ends thatextend through openings in the head of the case next the innercircumference of the circular walls of the same and are so adjustedlongitudinally as to adapt them to engage the presser-feet G, one afterthe other to depress them and bring the clutch-shoes successively intoengagement with the drum. Said plungers are, preferably, of the samelength, and their ends farthest from the case are screw-threaded andadjustably secured by nu'ts'J, J, in suitable openings in the arms of aspider-frame K, the boss m of which latter has a longitudinally slidingengagement on shaft B, by means of a spline M, but revolves therewithand maintains its relative position with the case of the clutch at alltimes. This spiderframe is given a longitudinal movement by mechanism(not shown) in the control of the operator, and enables him toaccurately gage the extent of the frictional engagement between themembers of the clutch absolutely, and obtain just the transmission ofpower desired from the driving to the driven member.

l/Vhat I claim as new is 1. In a clutch mechanism the combination with arevoluble driving member and a concentric revoluble driven member havingaxes, of a series of alining segmental shoes connected to the outer oneof said members,

and means reciprocal transversely to said shoes for causing the same toengage the other member one after the other.

3. In a clutch mechanism the combination with a revoluble driving memberand a concentric revoluble driven member, having alining axes, of aseries of corresponding segmental shoes arranged in circumferentialorder one after the other and connected to the outer one of saidmembers, and means for causing said shoes to engage the other member oneafter the other.

4. In a clutch mechanism the combination with a revoluble driving memberand a concentric revoluble driven member, having alining axes, of aseries of corresponding equidistant segmental shoes arranged incircumferential order one after the other and connected to the outer oneof said members, and means for causing said shoes to engage the othermember one after the other.

5. In a transmission clutch mechanism the combination with a revolubledriving mem ber and a concentric driven member having alining axes, of aseries of segmental clutch shoes arranged circumferentially one afterthe other each having one end connected to the outer one of saidmembers, and means for causing said shoes to engage the other member oneafter the other.

6. In a transmission clutch mechanism the combination with a revolubledriving member and a concentric driven member having alining axes, of aseries of alining segmental clutch shoes each having one end connectedto the outer one of said members, and means reciprocal transversely tosaid shoes for causing the same to engage the other member one after theother.

7. In a transmission clutch mechanism the combination with a revolubledriving member and a concentric driven member having alining axes, of aseries of segmental clutch shoes arranged in circumferential order oneafter the other and each having one end adjustably connected to theouter one of said members, and means for causing said shoes to engagethe other member one after the other.

8. In a transmission clutch mechanism the combination with a revolubledriving member and a concentric driven member having alining axes, of aseries of segmental clutch shoes arranged in circumferential order onegitudinally reciprocal plungers after the other and each having one endconnected to the outer one of said members, and means engaging theopposite ends of said shoes whereby the shoes engage the other memberone after the other.

9. In a transmission clutch mechanism the combination with a revolubledriving member and a concentric driven member having alining axes, of aseries of segmental clutch shoes arranged in circumferential order oneafter the other and each having one end connected to the outer one ofsaid members, and reciprocal means engaging the opposite ends of saidshoes whereby the shoes engage the other member one after the other.

10. In a transmission clutch mechanism the combination with a revolubledriving member and a concentric driven member having alining axes, of aseries of segmental clutch shoes arranged in circumferential order oneafter the other and each having one end adjustably connected to theouter one of said members, and means engaging the opposite ends of saidshoes whereby the shoes engage the other member one after the other.

11. In a transmission clutch-mechanism the combination with a revolubledriving member and a concentric driven member having alining axes, of aseries of segmental clutch shoes arranged in circumferential order oneafter the other and each having one end adjustably connected to theouter one of said members, and reciprocal means engaging the oppositeends of said shoes whereby the shoes engage the other member one afterthe other.

12. In a clutch mechanism the combination with a revoluble drivingmember and a concentric revoluble driven member, having alining axes, ofa series of segmental shoes arranged in'circumferential order one afterthe other and connected to the outer one of said members, and reciprocalwedging means for causing said shoes to engage the other member oneafter the other.

13, In a clutch mechanism the combination with a revoluble drivingmember and a concentric revoluble driven member, having alining axes, ofa series of segmental shoes connected to one of said members, andlondisposed transversely to said shoes for causing the same to engagethe other member one after the other.

1 1. In a clutch mechanism the combination with a revoluble drivingmember and a concentric revoluble driven member, having thereby forcausing said shoes toengage the other member one after the other.

15. In a clutch mechanism the combination with a revoluble drivingmember and a concentric revoluble driven member, having alining axes, ofa series of segmental shoes connected to one of said members,longitudinally reciprocal plungers that are arranged transversely tosaid shoes and are adjustable longitudinally in their support, anddevices engaged thereby for causing said shoes to engage the othermember one after the other.

16. In a transmission clutch mechanism the combination with a revolubledriving member and a concentric driven member having alining axes, of aseries of segmental clutch shoes, each having one end adjustablyconnected to one of said members, longitudinally reciprocal plungersarranged transversely to said shoes, and devices engaged thereby forcausing said shoes to engage the other member one after the other.

17. In a clutch mechanism the combination with a revoluble drivingmember and a concentric revoluble driven member having alining axes, ofa series-of segmental shoes connected to one of said members,longitudinally reciprocal plungers arranged transversely to said shoes,and presser feet engaged thereby for causing said shoes to engage theother member one after the other.

18. In a clutch mechanism the combination with a revoluble drivingmember and a concentric revoluble driven member, having alining axes, ofa series of segmental shoes connected to one of said members,longitudinally reciprocal plungers that are arranged transversely tosaid shoes and are adjustable longitudinally in their support, saidsupport revoluble with said outer member and reciprocal to and from thesame, and presserfeet engaged thereby for causing said shoes to engagethe other member one after the other.

19. ,In a transmission clutch mechanism the combination with a revolubledriving member and a concentric driven member having alining axes, of aseries of segmental clutch shoes, each having one end adjustablyconnected to one of said members, longitudinally reciprocal plungersarranged transversely to said shoes and presser-feet engaged thereby forcausing said shoes to engage the other member one after the other.

In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto set my hand and seal this 18th dayof March, A.

JOSEPH W. HAYS. [L. s.] Witnesses:

FRANK D. THOMASON,

E. K. LUNDY.

